Posted - 04/18/2013 : 09:22:35 Perhaps the oil did give up more than I thought, but I still dont think it was a huge mortgage (again, for their cup run I only see them picking up samsonov and Roloson... thought Peca was a ufa).

I am happy to be corrected there, but regardless my point would be that they didnt appear to make huge drastic trades, and many teams going for playoff runs make similar deals without the collapse and

that I though Tambelinin was hired after that so he can't be blamed for need for the rebuild and Lowe seemed to be saying that the rebuild was right on course.

there may well be a good reason for his firing, but I dont really see it yet.

In terms of the oilers development, especially their top players, we are talking about years 1-3 for them. Wait until they are years 3-6.

Beans15

Posted - 04/17/2013 : 09:06:34

quote:Originally posted by Alex116

quote:Originally posted by Beans15 The most talked transaction was Samsanov for Reasoner and a pick who turned out to be Milan Lucic.

Wow! Imagine Lucic there? I've said before that i think the Oilers could use a nice forward with size a la Lucic, Hartnell, Clarkson, etc. One who not only throws his weight and fists around, but who can play the game with and keep up with some of the young talent there!

Of course, we're talking hindsight here as we don't know for sure if the Oilers would have drafted Lucic when that pick came around.

Who knows who the Oilers would have drafted. They could have drafted Lucic in that spot or they could have done what they did when they had a crack a Parise. They traded down with NJ and took Sidney Crosby's linemate in juniors over Parise. I think we all know what kind of difference Parise would have made over MA Pouliot.

Point being, the Oilers did trade away a lot of stuff to make that Cup run and they simply didn't recover.

Alex116

Posted - 04/16/2013 : 17:48:16

quote:Originally posted by Beans15 The most talked transaction was Samsanov for Reasoner and a pick who turned out to be Milan Lucic.

Wow! Imagine Lucic there? I've said before that i think the Oilers could use a nice forward with size a la Lucic, Hartnell, Clarkson, etc. One who not only throws his weight and fists around, but who can play the game with and keep up with some of the young talent there!

Of course, we're talking hindsight here as we don't know for sure if the Oilers would have drafted Lucic when that pick came around.

Beans15

Posted - 04/16/2013 : 11:33:14 I completely disagree that they flubbed the rebuild. They comment about 1/2 the teams in the NHL would trade for the Oilers roster is not correct. I think at least 1/2 or more of the teams in the NHL would trade for 1/2 of the Oilers roster is more accurate. That 1/2 of the rebuild is awesome. Frankly, any team with a core of Hall, Eberle, Hopkins, Yakupov, Gagner, Schultz, Schultz, and Smid is on solid ground. The issue is the other 1/2 of the roster and that is why Tambellini got fired.

And to wind the clock back to the Cup run, the Oilers did trade a lot away at the deadline. They traded for Peca, Pronger, Tarnstrom, Spacek, Roloson, and Samsonov that year. Most of those trades included high draft picks. The most talked transaction was Samsanov for Reasoner and a pick who turned out to be Milan Lucic.

The other issu is that most of those players were done that same summer. The did mortgage their short term future for those trades and that one run to the Cup.

Cyclonis

Posted - 04/16/2013 : 11:13:50 @Guest5052; I am thinking Katz told him that "missing the playoffs is not acceptable make a change" and he isn't going to fire himself...although...well ya enough posters will bring that up so i do not need to go into it.

IMHO: They flubbed the rebuild and now need to make major changes...I am personally sad as I have come to like both Nuge and Nail in blue and copper and I think they will be the bait used to acquire D. Lander, Hartikainen, Hemsky, Paajarvi, Gagner may be bit parts.

Looks for changes at the 8 month to 1.5 year mark of MacT's tenure. I say this as he will be given some time and he is smart enough to know if things "turn around" while he does nothing he will get the credit. I don't see both Nail and Nuge being with the Oil next year.

Guest5052

Posted - 04/16/2013 : 10:41:17 what i was left wondering all along was if this team is in such good shape that 1/2 the league would swap rosters, why fire the GM?

If this is part of the rebuilding process and as to be expected for year three of that process, why fire the GM?

And as far as their cup run impressive, they didnt mortgage the future in any material way. They picked up Rolie, and I cant recall them giving away a whole lot of young talent. so Im not sure i buy the notion that they went for it on a cup run and didnt quite make it so they had to rebuild. I think they had to rebuild because they werent good enough to make the playoffs thereafter.

Mac T has inherited a very sweet job in my opinion. An underperforming team with lots of talent and potential.

I wish him luck.

Guest4178

Posted - 04/16/2013 : 10:09:22 I saw the press conference, and Kevin Lowe didn't present himself very well. He came off defensive and a bit arrogant.

The fact he won 6 Stanley Cups as a player does not mean he knows how to win as a coach or GM, so he shouldn't make this comment.

Henri Richard has the record for most Stanley Cups (11), and while he was a good leader (as a player), it doesn't mean he knows how to coach or run a hockey team.

Or how about Yvan Cournoyer (10 cups), or more recently, Glenn Anderson, who has the same number of cup wins as Kevin Lowe? Should the Oilers make Glenn Anderson the assistant GM of the team?

Whatever number of cups a player wins as a player does not make the player an automatic winner in their next role.

Here's another thing about the press conference. When pressed about the Oilers achievements the past seven years, Lowe stated that the team was one period away from winning the Stanley Cup. This is true, but it's also true that the Oilers went on a bit of a run in 2006, and while the team deserves credit for making it to the 7th game of the Stanley Cup finals, they were not one of the top teams in the NHL that season.

And after the 2006 playoffs, it was Lowe's decision to give players like Shawn Horcoff and Fernando Pisani big contracts.

There are some things I like about Kevin Lowe, but I think he should take more responsibility for the Oilers success (or lack thereof) with him at the helm.

But being friends with Oilers owner Daryl Katz seems to insulate Lowe from being fired. But I'm guessing that Lowe's "leash" just got smaller, and if the team fails to make the playoffs next season, I suspect Lowe's head will be on the platter.

Not soon enough for some Oiler fans, but if the team turns things around (which is likely with their young talent), Oiler fans will forgive and forget, and Kevin Lowe will be able to pinpoint how it was he who turned things around. And that's what 6-time Stanley Cup winners know how to do! :)

Beans15

Posted - 04/16/2013 : 10:01:37 I watched most of the press conference yesterday. KLowe was incredibly arrogant. He make the comment that only one guy in hockey today has more rings so if there is any doubt in that, there shouldn't be. His other comment was that the Oilers have 2 types of fans, those who come to the games and pay and then everyone else who just watches the game.

Nothing like alienating 80%+ of your fanbase. Both he and MacT were very defensive and they should be. If you are more than 10 yrs old you know that the team was in the hands of Kevin Lowe and Scott Howsen for 10 of the last 14 years. In those 10 years there was one 'successful' year and they quotes that one Cup run over and over again during the press conference. The one statement was they had this team within 1 period of the Stanley Cup. They also missed the playoffs in all but three years and lost in the first round in 2 other seasons.

That is not success.

On a positive note, the discussion around town yesterday is that MacT was intrumental during the Pronger deal way back when and apparently was also one of the key reasons young Justin Schutlz signed up with the Orange and Blue. They are banking on his ability to draw talent in. I'm not sold but I have''t lost hope..........yet.

OILINONTARIO

Posted - 04/16/2013 : 09:31:09 From what I've read and heard in the media out here, there is some outrage in Wild Rose North. Not that Tambellini got fired, but the reversion to the folks who ran the show a few years back.

Didn't see the entire thing, but caught a snippet of KLo's PC, and he sounded pretty defensive. If I may paraphrase: "We were looking to relive the dream (of the 80's), but somewhere down the line, we realized it was a bad plan.", and "Look, I know there is only one guy still in the game with more cups than me. I think I know a thing or two about winning."

Sounds dangerously arrogant to me. As much as I have always liked Kevin Lowe, it sounds like he is deflecting criticism, and surrounding himself with those who he is more comfortable with, rather than focusing on the success of the team.

Any chance Katz will look elsewhere? Might be a good idea. If the Oil fail to make the playoffs next year with all this young talent, I think it is time for KLo to go.

The Oil WILL make the playoffs in 2014.

Guest9623

Posted - 04/16/2013 : 07:37:33 oilers have alot of assets. they could aqiure some veteran leadership in form of some D or a goalie. the young guys are great but if they fail as shown..they have nothing. i suppose thats managements attention now is to make some off-season moves....take risks as macT says.

Posted - 04/15/2013 : 20:36:06 Here is another crazy thing about this I just read from Ryan Rishaug.

Kevin Lowe did not interview a single person for this job, he simply gave it to MacT.

I'm not saying it's a bad decision for certain but after 30 yrs of the old boys club and 20 of them being garbage, it's hard to thing this time around will be anything different.

That said, another things Rishaug said is one big move over the summer that really helps this team and a lot of the scepticism disappears.

Guest4315

Posted - 04/15/2013 : 19:18:06 I gotta disagree about Fistric. He should be getting more ice time and he's an Edmonton boy.

Beans15

Posted - 04/15/2013 : 10:19:17 This is a very interesting situation. I think Tambellini has done a brilliant job at drafting players. Granted, he was giving a great opportunity with 3 straight #1 and got Hall, Hopkins, and Yakupov. But let's not forget this guy also drafted Paajarvi, Lander, Pitlick, Hamilton, Klefbom, and Musil to name a few. Some of them a still on thier way but I personally think he has done a great job in drafting players. I also think he has been financially responsible with the players he has signed. Few if any of the deals he signed can be called 'overpayments' and the terms are generally sound.

On the flip side, most of the trades and free agent signings have turned out to be poor. Guys like Belanger, Eager, and Smyth have been mediocre at best. Fistric is proving to not be all that fantastic either. I can't think of any pieces outside of the draft that Tambellini brought in that I would consider good moves.

Now, to the 'hiring' of MacTavish and Howsen. Really?? C'mon Lowe, what are you thinking? Why would you hire an unsuccessful hockey guy in Howsen and a rookie GM if you want the team to get better immediately?? MacTavish was a big part of the decline of the Oilers through the 00's so why put him in as GM when the team is turning the corner. What makes you think this will 'right the shi[.' In the entire process of the rebuild in Edmonton I could justify most everything with a little bit of logic. This, in my opinion, is not a good move and concerns me moving fowards.

I personally think Lowe and MacTavish should be gone and Howsen should have never been brought in. New blood at the top is needed to change the culture. Similar to the Leafs removing Burke. Burke did very good hockey moves to get that team to where it needed to be but also had to be removed for that team to shine.

Someone needs to call the Oilers and tell them they are allowed to hire people outside of the organization.

I'm fine with Tambellini getting fired but the replacements are not the right guys.